Automatic wire clip forming and closing machine



Dec. 12, 1933 H c, Ass 1,939,021

AUTOMATIO'WIRE CLIP FORMING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed April 18; 1932 4 4vSheets-Sheet l H. C. PASS Dec. 12, 1933.

AUTOMATIC WIRE CLIP FORMING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed April 18 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. C. PASS Dec. 12, 1933.

AUTOMATIC WIRE CLIP FORMING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed April 18. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 12, 1933. c PASS 1,939,021

AUTOMATIC WIRE CLIP FORMING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aiaril 18. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC WIRE CLIP FORMING AND CLOSING MACHINE Application April 18, 1932, Serial No. 606,028, and in Great Britain January 1, 1932 8 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic machines for clip forming and securely fastening the formed clip around two or more pieces.

Without in anywise restricting the generality of the foregoing, the automatic wire cutting and clip forming machines as described in the following specifications, makes a wire clip to automatically fasten together two spiral spring coils of a bed spring mattress or like spring construction, automobile cushions, etc.

In present spring mattress and cushion manufacture it has been necessary to make twine connections between two spiral coils, or to purchase a semi-formed clip and by manual means insert each clip in specially made hand operated pliers. In the case of the former atmospheric conditions have affected the spiral coils so as to cause rust, which with the continual movement encountered in commercial use destroys the twine and renders the article practically useless. In the latter case the individual handling of manufactured wire clips has added greatly to the cost of producing coil spring construction in mattresses and cushions, but has eliminated tht deteriorating effect through rust of the twine fastening.

In addition to the cost of clips for manual insertion there is considerable wastage occasioned by the number of clips dropped to the floor, the reclaiming cost of which is in excess of the cost of new clips.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine, simple in operation, automatic in motion, but of manual control. The machine itself is of suspended type and is under continuous drive to the fly-wheel through gearing from an electric motor attached to the upper platform of the suspended assembly. Driving connection between the fiy-wheel and main shaft is effected by punch press type trip clutch, actuated by a magnetic coil, the feed wires of which are carried up through the tubular means of the machine to the ceiling, and in the most accessible manner (according to the factory layout) are carried to a terminating point at a foot switch within easy access of the operator. Below the suspended machine is a table of sufficient area attached to a vertically adjustable pedestal thus allowing the operator to bring the varying height of construction to be clipped within correct distance of the clipping means of the machine.

I attain my object by providing feed rollers to feed the wire a predetermined distance, means for cutting same and means for holding the cut piece securely over a forming mandrel until delivered forward to the forming means. Means for forming in horse-shoe design, the cut piece of wire, and such means constituting a holding means for same which is carried downward to receive from the operator the insertion of the pieces to be clipped. At this position the cycle of the machine comes to rest against the trip, so that as the insertion of the pieces to be clipped is made, the operator energizes the magnetic coil, as previously described and the forming means under movements of the machine completely closes the clip securely around the inserted pieces, the cycle of the machine continues and so the aforementioned operation is repeated.

Present devices have been designed to fasten spiral coils of spring mattress construction together of the open spring type, my invention has been designed with the object of meeting the demands of high grade coil spring construction, where each spring is individually covered by a light-weight cotton material but will adequately meet the clipping needs of both types of construction more economically and with greater speed ratio.

Specification The invention is hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, of the complete mechanism and lower platform, with suspension rods to upper platform and tripping mechanism with magnetic coil not shown for clearness. Fig. 2 is a front elevation with forming mechanism removed, and feed block extension shown broken away, Fig. 3 front elevation with motor platform, forming mechanism and feed block in position. Fig. 4 is a rear view in its mechanical entirety with tubular support shown broken away. Fig. 5 is a view of the form ing and closing pliers containing a horse-shoe shaped clip ready for the manual insertion of the pieces to be fastened together. Fig. 6 is a section of fabricated coil spring construction with fabric cut away showing clip securely fastening two adjacent spiral coil springs together.

Machine suspension and tripping mechanism As shown in Fig. 4 the machine is suspended from the ceiling by a tube 0 and locked in position by lock nut d into the semicircular casting b which in turn supports the motor platform a securely fastened to same by four suspension rods 21, e2, 23 and 24 (see Figs. 3 and 4). Upon the platform a is attached the electric motor e the pinion f of which drives a gear 9 journalled on an outwardly extending stud carried in a hub bracket on the platform a, attached to the gear 9 is a pinion h meshing with the gear fiy-wheel i.

The motor e is in constant rotation and so the gear fiy-wheel is likewise, a clutching connection is formed between the main drive shaft 5 and the gear fly-wheel i by the tripping of the clutch caused by energizing the coil u, so moving the arm I in a downward direction, thus allowing the outwardly extending portion of the clutch trip q to become operative and form the necessary clutching engagement as hereinafter explained. The arm I with its upward and downward extending members is fulcrumed on the shoulder stud m supported in the bracket 7', and when actuated its upwardly extending portion is carried outwardly clear of the outward extending portion of the clutch trip q, thus the spring 90 supported in this outward extending member and tensioned against the stud 91 forces the clutch trip q in a clockwise direction and as the gear fly-wheel i revolves, the clutch trip will be forced into one of the semicircular recesses as seen in Figure 4, thus forming a clutching engagement.

In the upwardly extending member of the arm I is carried a headed plunger p tensioned upwardly by the spring 11 arranged in dash pot form in the above mentioned member. The headed plunger p carries an outwardly extending pin 0 which rides in a slot in the upward extending member of the arm 1 and so limits the movement of the headed plunger 1). This headed plunger p against the tension of the spring n acts as a cushion when the cycle of the machine is completed and broken by the non-energization of the magnetic coil u. In its normal position as seen in Fig. 4 the downwardly extending member of the arm I is held against the stop pin t by the coil spring 3. This spring is carried in a recess of the downwardly extending member and in a like recess in the stud r.

The bracket 7' in its entirety forms a platform for the magnetic coil u, journals the stud m and forms a brake for the machine on the clutch trip hub z, in the latter respect the bracket 7' is machined to receive a leather band 92 and is split to allow adjustment of the bolt k so that the necessary desired tension may be obtained, in the lower portion of the bracket 7' is machined a quadrant section for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The lower base platform I of the machine is securely attached to the motor platform a by four suspension rods 111. 112. 113 and 114 (see Figs. 3 and 4). These suspension rods as in those joining the upper platform are screwed into the lower platform and pass freely through the upper platform and are locked against their respective shoulders with hexagon nuts.

Driving mechanism and general description Upon the base platform 1 is carried the operative mechanism of the machine as will now be described and best seen in Fig. 1. The drive shaft 5 is journalled through the bushings 2a, 3a and 4a, of the brackets 2, 3 and 4. To the shaft 5 is securely attached the gear 6, the dual action cam 11 and the plier closing cam 12. The brackets 2, 3 and 4 are all secure to the base of the machine 1 by fillister head screws. The gear 6 upon the driveshaft 5 is meshed with an idler gear '7 carried upon the stud 7a and held in position by the large headed screw 7b. The idler gear 7 is meshed with a gear 50 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4) and the gear 50 is remeshed with the gear 8, the gear 8 is dowelled to the circular cam 9 which is keyed to the shaft 10, so that a meshed train of gearing executing its specific work finally terminates in driving the shaft 10 at the same speed as the shaft 5. The circular cam 9 thus driven reciprocates the slide bar 64 and the cut wire forming anvil as hereinafter explained. The shaft 10 is journalled through the brackets 2 and 3 in bushings 10a and 10b: (see Fig. 1) at its forward extremity this shaft carried a high point cam 49 for a purpose hereinafter explained. Forward of the gear 6 upon the shaft 5 is attached the dual action cam 11 and forward of this cam is the plier closing cam 12 (see Figs. 1 and 3).

Clip forming and closing motion In the bracket 4 is machined a dovetail section allowing for the vertical reciprocation of the sliding member 30, which is snugly fitted into the dovetail section of the member 4 by a gib 31. This gib is replaceable as wear takes place. The member 30 carries the plier fulcrum studs 32 and 32a (see Figs. 1 and 3) and the rearwardly extending stud 33a which at its rearward extremity carries the roller 33 riding in the cam groove 11a of the dual action cam 11. This stud passes through an elongated section 33b in the member 4 thus allowing for the vertical reciprocation effected by the cam 11.

The clip forming and closing pliers 28 and 28a are freely mounted on the aforementioned studs 32 and 32a, it will be seen then that these forming and closing pliers will be vertically reciprocated in the varying motions as transmitted by the cam 11. The plier closing cam 12 has upon its periphery three distinct radii (see Fig. 3) a neutral point, a semi-closing point, to eiTect a horse-shoe formed clip as shown in Fig. 5 and an adjustable highpoint hereinafter explained to finally close the clip 37 securely around the inserted pieces as seen in Fig. 6. This adjustable highpoint is affected by the roller 13 being mounted upon an eccentric shoulder sleeve 13a and locked in position by a screw 13b, the cam 12 is recessed to allow access of this roller as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The bracket 4 in addition to the dovetail member 30 contains 2 dovetailed machined sections to allow access of the dovetail slides 14 and 14a to which the crossbar 19 is securely attached by screws 20 and 20a. Upon this crossbar the hardened semicircular lipped member 18 is nested, held in position by a screw. Two link arms 21, 21a are secured to the crossbar 19 by shoulder screws 22 and 220.. These aforementioned link arms in turn are attached to other link arms 23 and 23a by shoulder screws 24 and 24a, the link arms 23 and 23a are allowed oscillation on the shoulder screws 25 and 25a which extend laterally into the bracket 4 and spaced from same by distance washers 25b (see Fig. 1) and 250 not shown. On the lower extremity of the link arms 23 and 23a are carried two rollers 26 and 26a freely mounted on pilot screws 27 and 27a.

As the machine becomes operative to effect the forming motion the dovetail sliding member 30 is reciprocated downwardly by the dual action cam 11. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 the cut wire 37 is shown positioned to receive the downward thrust of the aforementioned pliers 28 and 28a loosely mounted on their respective studs in the dovetail sliding member 30. As the dual action cam 11 reciprocates the aforementioned sliding member 30 downwardly, the members 28 and 28a form the cut wire 3'! over the forming anvil 34 in U shape design. This downward motion of the member 30 comes to a'momentary neutral rest when the centre of the recesses of the members 28 and 28a. align themselves horizontally with the centre line of the forming anvil 34. During this neutral rest the semi-high point of the cam 12 comes in contact with the member 18 attached to the cross bar 19, thus the link motion is actuated causing the rollers 26 and 26a to close the members 28 and 28a and so form a clip 37 of horse-shoe design as seen in Fig. 5. While holding the clip in this position the forming anvil 34 is withdrawn rearwardly as will be later explained and the sliding member 30 is carried downward below the base 1 of the machine securely holding the clip 37 as seen in Fig. 5. While in this lowered position the roller 13 on the cam 12 previously described comes in contact with the aforementioned member 18 and so the clip 37 is locked securely around the pieces inserted therein, by the action of the link motion as previously described.

The aforementioned cross bar 19 is retarded to its normal position as in Fig. 3 by the actuation of the coil springs 16 and 160. which are tensioned around their respective pins 15 and 15a (attached to the bracket 4) and encircling two pins 17, 17a extending outwardly from the cross bar 19. The forming and closing pliers 28 and 28a are opened outwardly under the tension of a spring 29 supported by two bent pins secured in the members 28 and 28a.

It will be easily seen that after a clip is securely closed around the inserted pieces that the forming and closing pliers will be opened to their normal position prior to the ascension of same to the position as shown in Fig. 3, thus allowing the clipped construction to be free of the jaws of the pliers 28 and 28a.

As previously explained the circular cam 9 is actuated by a meshed train of gears from the drive shaft 5, this cam in its circular groove reciprocates a roller 66 carried upon the pilot screw 65 in the slide bar 64, the slide bar 64 at its forward end is connected to the forming anvil member 35 by a shoulder screw 68.

As will be seen in Fig. 3 this dovetail forming anvil carrying member is milled to allow the insertion of a spring actuated cut wire hold down 38. This wire hold down 38 is fulcrumed upon the pilot screw 39 passing through the anvil carrying member 35 (see Figs. 1 and 2.) It will be seen then as the cam 9 revolves, the member 64, the forming anvil carrying member 35 and the spring actuated wire hold down 38 will be reciprocated simultaneously. As the cam 9 reciprocates the aforementioned assembly rearward, the highpoint of the high point cam 49 in its revolution will pass over the rearward end of the wire hold down 38 so forcing it downwardly against the resistance of the coil spring 40. While in this position the feed rollers are timed to become operative and so the wire is fed over the forming anvil and under the wire hold down 38. It will be easily seen that as the hold down 38 practically fulcrums at centre on the screw 39, the rearward end being forced downwardly as described, the forward end of the hold down is thus raised, allowing ample space for the wire to be fed through.

The forming anvil member 35 is of dovetail design as previously explained, and rides in a machined groove for same in the base 1 of the machine, a tapered gib 36 is provided for wearing adjustment. The gib 36 carries an upwardly extending pin 62 (see Fig. 2). A quadrant piece 59 fuicruming on the screw 60 is slotted at its innermost end to fit the pin 62, while at its outer end contains the adjusting quadrant which allows for adjustment on the tapered gib 36. and when such adjustment is obtained the quadrant piece 59 is locked in position by the screw 61.

Wire feeding and cut 017 mechanism When the predetermined length of wire has been fed through as will be hereinafter explained the cam groove 111) (see Fig. 2) of the dual action cam 11 is timed to move downwardly the cut off knife 46 attached to the dovetail sliding member 43 thus affecting the wire to be cut as will now be described. The member 41 forms at its right hand extremity the feed roll mechanism and at its inward extremity support for the cutting off means, and is machined as a dovetail section to allow for the aforementioned dovetail sliding out 01f member 43.

The member 43 at its upward extremity contains a stud carrying the roller 44, which rides in the groove 11b of the dual action cam 11. On the lower section of the sliding member 43 is carried the cut off knife 46, this knife 46 is slotted to flt a lip on the sliding member 43, and is held in a vertical position on the aforementioned lip by a screw 4611. An eccentric washer 45 forms a thrust for the aforementioned cut off knife 46 and is locked in position to the member 43 by a screw 45a. As the cut off knife 46 is ground to replace wear the eccentric washer 45 can be adjusted at all times to form a thrust for the cut oil" knife 46 as previously explained. A gib 48 with adjusting screws and lock nuts 42a, 42b and (420 not shown) provides adjustment for Wear of the sliding member 43. The hardened sleeve 47 carried in the member 41 through which the wire is fed, (and forming a component cutting part with the knife 46) is held in position by a screw 47b and lock nut. (See Fig. 2.) Back of this hardened cut off sleeve 4'? is a threaded sleeve 47a which while forming an adjustment as the sleeve 4'7 is ground. offers a rearward thrust resistance for the cut off sleeve 47.

Directly rearward of the bracket 3 is the gear 50 meshed with an idler 7 (see Figs. 2 and 4) and is attached to the shaft 55 journalled in the bushings in the brackets 2 and 3. On the forward end of this shaft 55 is carried a Geneva driver 51 containing a driving stud 52 and locking are 53. The Geneva driver 51 engages a Geneva gear 54 attached to the shaft 56, which at its rearward end is journalled in the knurled headed bushing 63 in the bracket 3 (see Fig. 1) and at its forward 1 end in the small bracket 58 attached to the base platform 1 by a screw. (See Fig. 2.) The base of the machine 1 is milled clear to allow the Geneva gear 54 free rotation. The knurled headed bushing 63 is held in position by a set screw not shown. In Fig. 1 the shaft 56 carries a gear 5'7, this gear is meshed with a gear on the rearward end of the shaft '79 journalled in the feed roll section of the member 41, this gear is shown in dotted lines only in Fig. 1.

The feed roll bracket section see Fig. 3) is the outwardly extending portion of the member 41. which also carries the cut off means as previously described. The casting itself is machined to allow space for two feed rolls carried on their respective shafts 78 and 79. A portion of the feed roll on the shaft 79 is shown dotted in Fig. 1)

Attached to the feed roll section of the member 41 by screws and dowels, is a plate '70. This plate journals the forward end of the shaft 79 and contains in its upper portion a vertically movable lipped slide block '71. The slide block '71 journals the forward end of the shaft '78 while a rearward slide block not shown journals the opposing end of the shaft '78. The shaft '79 is journalled rearwardly through the member 41. Forward of the plate '70 attached to the ends of the shafts '78 and 79 are two equal ratio meshing gears 80 and 81, so forming a drive connection between the two aforementioned shafts. A cap '72 is secured to the feed roll section of the member 41 and the front plate '70 by four screws. In the centre of this cap is secured a stud '74 passing upward through two telescoping sleeves '75 and '76 and is threaded on its uppermost end to receive a nut 7'7. Through the cap '72 pass two pins, one of these 73 only being shown, the other being in direct line behind the stud 74. These two pins are carried in recesses in a flange of the lower telescope member 75 and the lipped slide blocks. Rubber pressure washers are contained within the telescope members '75 and '76, so that by adjusting the nut '77, pressure is brought to bear upon the afore-described slide blocks, thus the feed roll on the shaft '78 will be under constant pressure to feed a predetermined length of wire through the cut off sleeve 47.

As only a short length of wire is required it has been found in practice unnecessary to supply I straightening rolls, and so a guide sleeve 82 is screwed into the right hand section of the member 41 to form a guide for the wire. (See Figs. 3 and 4.)

The cut out section 83 (see Figs. 2 and 3) allows for a thin metal cover in order to protect the fabric covering the coil springs to be clipped from being caught by the lower feed roll gears.

Clutch tripping adjustment It has been previously explained that the operator causes a cycle of the machine by the operation of a foot switch energizing the magnetic coil u. The machine in charge of an inexperienced operator would be momentarily brought to rest with the forming and closing pliers 28 and 28a in their extremely lowered position in order to allow the operator to insert into the horseshoe shaped clip 3'7 the pieces to be fastened together (see Fig. 5), this is especially the case when fabricated constructions are to be clipped, the operator will thus be sure that the pieces to be clipped are well inserted into the horse-shoe shaped clip before applying pressure to the foot switch. As may be expected however an adaptable operator becomes so accustomed to the operation that he or she can close the circuit to the magnetic coil u and so allow the machine to keep in continuous rotation for a specific number of clipping operations.

In order to break the cycle of the machine so that the horse-shoe shaped clip is accessible to the inexperienced operator the afore-described bracket 7 is set in a reversed position to that shown in Fig. 4, as will be seen this would allow the tripping of the machine to be effected under an entirely advanced position of the whole mechanism, and so at its neutral position would leave the forming and closing pliers 28 and 28a in their lowered position as above described. In the position just described the pliers extend well below the base of the machine and therefore offer resistance to the speediest method of working as it necessitates a lowering of the table top on which the constructions are supported in order to clear the obstacle of the downwardly extending pliers. When the quadrant is in the position as seen in Fig. 4 the neutral tripping position of the machine is such as to position the lower extremity of the pliers flush with the base 1 of the machine, thus allowing the constructions to be vertically raised on their table closer to the clippling means.

The above described adjustment is effected by loosening the hexagon headed bolt 1:, the bracket 7' and contained mechanism can then be moved to cause any desired tripping position between the limits previously described. The quadrant section of the bracket 7' is flush against a rearwardly extending post w carried in the bracket 2 (see Figs. 1 and 4) so that the aforementioned bolt 11 locks the quadrant section securely against the face of the post w when the necessary adjustment has been made. On the rearward end of the drive shaft 5 the handwheel 69 is securely locked against the end of the hub 11: by a nut .(see Fig. 1). Handwheel is provided merely for checking purposes and tryouts after adjustments have been made, before the electric motor is switched into operation.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of forming and closing means to produce in partial cycle a semi-formed clip, means operating upon the combined forming and closing means to hold the semi-formed clip while being downwardly reciprocated below the base'of the machine, thus allowing access of the pieces to be clipped into the semi-formed clip before the complete closing of the clip is effected, and adjustable complete closing means to fasten the clip securely around the inserted pieces during the completion of the cycle.

2. An automatic wire clip forming and closing device for producing in its entirety in one cycle rotation a wire clip, combined means for forming a clip in U shape followed by partially closing action, completion of the combined means in completely closing the clip around two or more pieces while being controlled in the combined forming and closing means, and means pivotally supporting the combined forming and closing means to vertically reciprocate same in its necessary movements.

3. In a machine of the class described the combination of a Geneva gear to feed wire a predetermined distance, a cutting means, a dual action cam actuating a cutting means, a spring actuated holding means to hold the cut wire, a slide bar and holding means for holding the cut wire, a circular cam reciprocating a slide bar attached to a holding means to deliver the cut wire forward to the combined forming and closing means, a sliding member carrying the forming and closing means, and link motion operated by a cam containing adjustable closing means to directly act on the forming means so as to close a clip securely around two or more pieces.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means to feed wire a predetermined length, means to out the wire, a forming anvil, a slide bar supporting the forming anvil, means to hold and control the wire when cut on a forming anvil contained in a slide bar, said slide bar pivotally supporting the holding means to hold the cut wire, a vertical sliding member pivotally supporting combined forming and closing means, means vertically reciprocating the forming and closing support means and means acting upon the combined forming and closing means to form a clip and completely close same around two or more pieces.

5. In a machine of the class described, having wire feeding and cutting means, forward reciprocation means of the cut wire to combined forming and closing means, combined forming and closing means, the combination of a 3 radii cam actuating through toggle arm motion the combined forming and closing means in three actuations, and means for adjusting the complete closing means to finally completely close the clip around two or more pieces.

6. A machine of the class described, auto matically to form and completely close a wire clip around two or more coils of adjacent spiral coil springs, individually pocketed in cotton fabric and manually inserted into the open mouth clip during a dwell between the forming and complete closing action of two pivotally mounted plier arms, two pivotally mounted plier arms, said plier arms executing the forming of the clip in horseshoe design holding same while being lowered beyond the base of the machine and completely closing same around the manually inserted cotton covered pieces.

I. In a machine of the class described, the combination of wire feeding and cutting means, a forming anvil, a slide bar supporting the forming anvil, forward reciprocal and holding means of the cut wire on the forming anvil, such means co-acting with the combined forming and closing means to withdraw the anvil when a semi-formed clip has been produced by the combined forming and closing means, a three radii cam containing an adjustable radii, actuating toggle arm means, and toggle arm means, co-acting with reciprocal combined forming and closing means, reciprocal means of the means pivotally supporting the combined forming and closing means to form and completely close a clip around two or more pieces.

8. A machine of the class described, automatically to form and completely close a wire clip around two or more coils of adjacent spiral coil springs, individually pocketed in cotton fabric; an adjustable quadrant member supporting a clutch tripping mechanism actuated by a magnetic coil to break the driving contact of the machine at each cycle, means for adjusting the quadrant member so that the machine can be advanced or retarded in its tripping position, to allow the combined forming and closing means to be in a raised or lowered position as desired when the cycle of the machine is broken, a clutch tripping mechanism actuated by a magnetic coil, and a magnetic coil to actuate the tripping of the machine through the clutch tripping mechamsm.

HARRY CARL PASS. 

